fix and fit
Working Behind the Ears
by Alex Yoho, ABOM
One of the most daunting parts of being a dispenser is achieving a good adjustment behind the ears.
There are many professional opinions about how to make a good behind-the-ears adjustment resulting in a comfortable pair of eyewear.
Some recommend that the temples should look like a cable temple to hold the frame up around the back of the ears. In such a critical fit as this, the balance of pressure has to be precise. If the balance is disturbed with a bump on the corner of the glasses, it will result in a sore ear.
At the extreme opposite of the fitting preference spectrum is the head hugger, where the temples are adjusted straight back and curved inward to wrap around the head. This is a forgiving adjustment since there is nothing to cause pressure behind the ear if the frame is bumped.
THE SKULL TEMPLE BEND
Most frames come with a standard skull temple bend. This can be the best of both worlds if properly adjusted. The standard skull temple and adjustment can also incorporate the taper from head to neck. When adjusting a skull temple, it is important to look behind the ears to see if you are accomplishing the goal of maximum pressure distribution.
A proper skull fit might be described as follows: The temple tip is bent down about 1mm to 2mm behind the ear and bent to follow the curvature of the back of the ear. Gravity will eventually take its toll and the glasses will begin to slide down the nose. If the curvature of the temple tip matches the back of the ears, the pressure will be distributed all along the back of the ear, keeping it comfortable.
STOPPING SLIPPAGE
To prevent slippage, take advantage of the head hugger style and tip the temples inward toward the head. It is important to fit to the mastoid area of the head whether it dips in or bulges out. If there is a neck taper angle, take advantage of that as well.
If everything is adjusted correctly, you should have a comfortable fit that will not cause any pressure points and will keep the glasses securely in place. EB
| HUNTING FOR HOT SPOTS |
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| After adjusting the temple, look behind the ears to ensure there aren't any hot spots. There are two ways to do this. 1. Lift the temple tip off the mastoid area and observe the color of skin under the temple tip. The skin should be a lighter color where the temple tip has been resting. If the coloration is not even from top to bottom of the tip, bend the temple tip away from the head where you see the lighter color. This will cause the area that is not getting pressure to move closer to the head and bear its share of the load. 2. Wiggle the temple from front to back while watching the skin move on the side of the head. If there is movement only at the bottom of the tip, bend the bottom away from the head. If there is movement only in the middle, you may have too much mastoid dip in the temple tip. When you have the temple tip adjusted properly, the skin on the side of the head should move smoothly and equally as you move the temple back and forth. |
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